9 Local Man Get's A Little Too Devious For His Own Good
"You mongrel."
Nero's face was by definition incredibly terrifying at the moment.
The usual cheerful Empress had a scowl etching across her visage, her smile long replaced by a bloodthirsty grin.
Yet, as swiftly as it appeared, her cheerful self soon returned.
"Heh, just testing!"
Acting as if she just didn't make a 10-foot being her bitch, she turned around to see Jin walking towards her with the Titanhorn.
With a sunny smile plastered across her face, she dashed towards them and immediately grabbed Jin, shaking him around in excitement.
"Praetor! How was it?"
"Huh?"
Seeing his usual lost look on his face, she repeated herself.
"Acting!"
"That... was acting?"
"Umu! How would you rate my performance? People usually love it so much they can't even begin to harbor the thoughts to escape and-"
Nero soon became background noise, as a thought rose within him.
'That wasn't acting.'
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[Transcendent-Hyper Awareness ↓
→Description: This trait gives the user an uncanny level of awareness and insight into their surroundings. With it, the user deeply understands their environment, including others' intentions and emotions, and all kinds of energy flow. Anything out of place such as magical illusions will almost certainly be detectable no matter what. As such it allows the user to make intuitive leaps of judgment, bordering on clairvoyance.
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"With it, the user deeply understands their environment, including others' intentions and emotions-"]
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'Guy would've been six feet deep if she hadn't changed her intentions last second.'
Looking at Nero still happily yapping about her awe-inspiring 'performance', Jin suddenly felt like he couldn't compare her to the original version anymore.
Nay... she was already different from the very beginning.
'Oh, man...'
Having realized this, Jin didn't show it on his face, instead, he replied with his usual lazy and carefree tone.
"Oh... uh- shiver me timbers?"
"Hey, you didn't listen!"
Pouting in anger, she stomped on the ground, causing it to shake.
"Saber, I would happily stay inside your chambers to see more of your passionate performances."
Showing a thumbs up, Jin's face suddenly became incredibly detailed, as if some higher being decided to put more budget into this work.
Meanwhile, the dumbass got the whole squad flabbergasted, even making one of the soldiers fall face flat into the ground.
Nero: (⊙_⊙)
Titanhorn: (╹ -╹)?
The Legion Commanders: ಠ_ಠ
"Dirty-minded fucks."
With this one-liner he brainstormed into reality, he walked past the gobsmacked Roman Empress, in front of the kneeling being who also had an incredulous on his face, even though it was physically impossible.
'Brother, where'd that look come from? Where was it when Nero was seconds away from turning your ass inside out?!'
Feeling wronged, he could now sympathize with the Titanhorn.
*COUGH*
Jin awkwardly coughed, before offering a hand to the Legion Commander.
Showing a 'kind-hearted' smile, he said.
"Hey, she ain't usually that intense but-"
Before he could finish his sentence, the bionic being carefully put his hand away, staying in its kneeling position.
"No. I apologize on behalf of the 9th Legion... I dared to try to gauge my Empress' capabilities without knowing my place."
A deep robotic but noticeably manly voice rang out.
"We are Legion. We are the Remnants of a civilization long past."
Following their leader, the two remaining Legion Commanders dropped to their knees, their distinct robotic voices blending into a chorus of submission with the rest of the kneeling soldiers.
"We shall be your Sword, your Spear, and your Shield.
We shant Fail,
We shant Fall,
We will Conquer the lands,
For a new kingdom shall Rise from the ashes!"
With this final shout, a deep booming mechanical gear turned, echoing through the plains like a chamber.
'My god...'
Having never witnessed such badassery and epicness before, goosebumps rose from Jin's skin, and he ain't about to suppress it cause it was objectively testosterone-inducing.
'...'
Awaiting their new orders, the Legion remained kneeling, respectfully keeping silent.
Sensing the pressure, Jin looked over them with an indifferent face, hands suddenly behind his back like a wise sage from the mountains.
Yet, Nero who had already snapped out of her thoughts, was barely holding onto her laugh.
Her eyes were about to burst into tears, as she saw him desperately making some kind of forbidden-ass hand signs behind his back, obviously requiring her help.
As such, knowing exactly what kind of position he was in, she decided to give her Praetor a hand.
However, as she walked past him, she uttered something that made him squint his eyes.
"You're bold, my Praetor∿"
He subtly glanced at Nero giving him a mischievous grin, his eyes continuing to trail her as she strolled forward with a momentum befitting of her status.
"Arise!"
Her voice boomed across the area, making them straighten up.
"You! You! You!-"
Overlooking the three Legion Commanders, she continued bellowing out orders in succession.
"From among the nine thousand soldiers present, the three of you will each lead a separate Division and organize brigades from those best suited to their respective roles!
Our main priority is claiming territory and scavenging resources including food!
Plunder for any metal or ore you can lay your hands on, and return with the materials we need to start immediate construction!
And you! The white Legion Commander on the right side!"
Seeing their new Empress' finger pointed at it, its back straightened even more, before yelling out.
"My Empress!"
"Umu! You will stay here with your personally chosen brigade, we begin construction of the roads.
As for the rest of you, move!
Pro Gloria Romae!"
Nero pulled out her crimson blade before plunging it deep into the earth, unleashing a torrent of fiery red aura that prompted the summoned Legion to carry out their orders.
"FOR THE KINGDOM!"
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[Congratulations on achieving a 100% Loyalty Rate from the Two Winged Mechanical Legion within a record-breaking 10 minutes!
Rewards are as follows:
✧ NEW! ↠ Blueprint for Technologically Advanced Automated Turret Walls (Abbreviated to TAAT! Available for continuous upgrades!)
✧ NEW! ↠ Blueprint for Supercharged Railcannon Towers (Available for continuous upgrades!)
Keep up the good work!]
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Ignoring the notifications, Jin had already walked up to Nero, casually standing beside her as he lazily yawned.
He observed how thousands of black dots disappeared into the far distance, still amazed at the sheer numbers and their organization as they immediately assembled their personally chosen troops.
But...
'Why are they staring?'
Sensing thousands of intense gazes boring into him, he looked toward them.
The Legion: (⊙ _ ⊙ )
'So, we're doing this huh?"
Jin: (⊙ _ ⊙ )
"..."
Sensing the apparent starting contest, Nero looked at him with a blank face.
"Praetor, have you considered venting your stress at a lupanar?"
"Now... why would I go there, I have my dignity."
"Dignity? You seem to have swallowed it."
"No Saber Servant is as shameless as you, you exhibitionist."
"Oh... my, aiming for the jugular now, eh?"
Turning her back while showing a grin, she subtly glanced at the remaining Legion troops.
"Remain put. My Praetor and I shall design the road system. We'll be back shortly!"
Having said that, Nero turned back around and pulled Jin and the still-confused Titanhorn with her.
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As the troops watched their retreating backs, they looked at each other, basking in the awkwardness of their situation.
Meanwhile, their Legion Commander surveyed the terrain in silence.
"..."
Sensing their leader's contemplation, a soldier stepped forward, respectfully putting his hand on his chest, before calling out.
"Commander Valkyra, what-"
"Silence."
A clear-sounding robotic feminine voice rang out from the Legion Commander, her back still turned against her brigade.
"Yes!'
"..."
Draped in a robe-like garment, the bionic being effortlessly floated above the grassy terrain with her black wings elegantly flapping around.
Rays of sunshine shone down on her form, which boasted a unique design of mostly black and white with accents of vibrant red running down alongside her frame.
Unlike the other Legion Commanders who had heads resembling knights, hers was a mix of a knight and assassin.
She had a white metallic hood that draped over her head, accompanied by a mostly white mask that had a cross-section of black and red over where her eyes were supposed to be.
"..."
Still floating in silence, she suddenly spoke.
"My soldiers, this world, we cannot fail it... not again."
Glancing back, centuries of data ran through her head, reminding her of all the times when the entire Legion including all the other machinery desperately fought to reclaim their homeland from those 'Invaders.'
Upon suffering a planetary defeat, their once mighty Corps was now reduced to a mere nine thousand and three.
However... even with their current numbers,-
"Never again..."
-this world, she swore to protect it.
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